A. Responsibilities of former and new research mentors A mentorship change may be necessary based on irreconcilable differences or incompatibility between the research mentor(s) and mentee – whether based on scientific, academic, or personal issues – such that the mentoring partnership is no longer productive. In such cases, there are two possible outcomes that affect the role(s) of former and new mentors:
i) The mentee ceases to work on the former project. If no data, protocols, or code from the former research mentor’s laboratory is to be published, included in a thesis, or publically reported in any way, the former mentor no longer has responsibility for the mentee’s publication or reporting activities. If data, protocols, or code generated by the mentee in former mentor’s laboratory is to be published, the former mentor must document in writing (as part of the transition plan) that the former mentee will gain (co)authorship in accordance with ISMMS’s policy on authorship. If data, protocols, or code generated by the mentee in the former mentor’s laboratory is to be included in their PhD thesis, the former mentor and mentee must document inwriting such inclusion as part of the transition plan, and such an agreement must be approved by the Senior Associate Dean for PhD Programs, and recorded electronically in the student’s file. If the former mentor does not agree that the former mentee’s work is worthy of publication, including in the former mentee’s thesis, the dispute must be referred to, and handled by, the departmental Chair, similar to other authorship disputes.
ii) The mentee continues their research project in the laboratory of a new mentor. The former research mentor must approve in writing (and record electronically in the student’s file) the mentee’s continuation of a project originated in their laboratory. The new mentor assumes all the training responsibilities of any PhD mentor in research, academic progress, career development, etc. Continuation of the mentee’s research project must be accompanied by details of financial costs for experiments and publications, as well as plans for authorship, data sharing, and data usage, as would be part of any formal research collaboration. Such details must be included in the transition plan, approved by the Senior Associate Dean for PhD Programs, and recorded electronically in the student’s file. In addition, if any data, protocols, or code derived by the mentee in the former mentor’s laboratory is to be included in the PhD thesis, written permission for such inclusion must be provided from the former mentor prior to submission of the thesis. Such permission should be sought by the chair of the thesis advisory committee, and forwarded to the Senior Associate Dean for PhD Programs. If the former mentor does not agree that the mentee’s work is worthy of publication or inclusion in the former mentee’s thesis, the dispute must be referred to, and handled by, the departmental Chair, similar to other authorship disputes.
iii) The student opts to change their laboratory and start a new PhD research project with a new research mentor, project, and/or MTA. This scenario will require the same rotation, laboratory declaration, and research mentor selection procedures that would be applicable to a new student. If the research mentor departs during the student’s first year, and the new mentor is willing to take the student as a mentee immediately, then this can occur with the new mentor assuming financial and training responsibilities for the student. If new rotations are required, the student will receive a 3-month window of support from the GSBS to pursue these rotations prior to selecting a new laboratory. Procedures for the latter scenario can be found in Chapter 2, Funding Package and Direct Compensation. The student must submit a new laboratory declaration form electronically to the Manager of PhD programs in Biomedical Sciences and Neuroscience to document any changes in the mentoring team.
B. Responsibilities of the mentee If changes to the mentoring team are a result of unresolved disputes, the mentee will be responsible to continue their studies as outlined in the agreed mentoring plan. The overall academic responsibilities will remain those imposed by the GSBS and the MTA. Depending on the post-dispute agreement, in cases where the student is continuing the same research project in a different laboratory, the mentee, through the new mentor, may be required to communicate research results to the former research mentor. In all situations, mentees must abide by publication and data use rules under which their research was performed; this may affect plans for publication, thesis writing, and data reporting into public databases and at scientific meetings. If the former mentor agrees to publication or presentation of data, protocols, or code derived by the mentee while they were in the former mentor’s laboratory, permission from the former mentor must be obtained in writing and forwarded to the Senior Associate Dean for PhD programs and the Manager of PhD Programs, who will record such permission electronically in the student’s file.
C. Responsibilities of the MTA director and thesis advisory committee interactions with research mentor(s) and mentee (including thesis proposal and thesis defense exams) If changes to the mentoring team are a result of unresolved disputes, the new MTA and/or thesis advisory committees continue to assume the same roles as otherwise set forth in this Handbook in ensuring the completion of the academic requirements of the PhD as outlined above for changes induced by mentor relocation.
A. Disputes between research mentor(s) and mentee Disputes between the research mentor(s) and mentee range in origin and severity, and can be reported by either or both parties. Open communication between the mentor(s) and mentee is the key to avoiding disputes and, when they occur, resolving them. In cases where resolution cannot be reached in communications between the parties, there are procedures and resources that aim to resolve disputes. In the event that the mentor(s) and mentee cannot resolve their disputes through such procedures and resources, either the mentor(s) or mentee may opt to change the nature of the mentoring team.
i) Scientific disputes. When the research mentor(s) and mentee cannot themselves resolve a scientific dispute, they should promptly present the relevant issues to the student’ thesis advisory committee. After hearing from the research mentor(s) and mentee, the thesis advisory committee must ultimately decide on the scientific issue. If the scientific dispute concerns data ownership, the thesis advisory committee should refer to The Ownership of Research Data policy. Please note that in case of suspected research misconduct by either the student or mentor (with the priviso that disagreements of opinions are not reseach misconduct) the issue should be immediately reported to the Office of Research Integrity Note: Anonymous Reporting is also available at the Hotline: 1-800-853-9212.
ii) Non-scientific disputes. It is critical that all research is carried out in a safe and professional environment. Any form of mistreatment, bullying, harassment, is not tolerated, may violate NIH Anti-Harassment Policy and Guidance, and should be reported to one or more of the contacts listed below. The mentor is responsible to provide a professional laboratory environment, and should be the student’s first contact if they believe they are experiencing inappropriate or unprofessional behavior in the laboratory. If a mentee believes that they are experiencing such behavior by their mentors, they may initially contact an MTA Director, a faculty advisor, or the Senior Associate Dean for PhD Programs. Depending on the nature of the dispute, the MTA Director, faculty advisor and/or Senior Associate Dean for PhD Programs may directly recommend a course of action, refer the matter to a responsible office, and/or refer the mentee for further advice. Mentees may also seek confidential advice from the Ombuds Office (Dr. George.Huntley@mssm.edu). There are additional resources available for mentees to report inappropriate behavior that are discussed in Responsible Conduct of Research (BSR1021). These resources include:
Title IX Coordinator Rebecca Anderson (212-540-8669 or TitleIX@mssm.edu)
Human Resources (212-241-4097)
Office of Gender Equity in Sci/Med (Carolyn Horowitz, Dean, 212-659-9552)
Compliance Online Form (can be anonymous)—legal, ethical, behavioral, practical concerns)
Compliance Hotline 1-800-853-9212
B. Disputes between the thesis advisory committee and a research mentor(s) or mentee All disputes between the thesis advisory committee and the research mentor(s) and/or mentee should be presented to the MTA directors and, if necessary, the Senior Associate Dean for PhD Programs. The Senior Associate Dean for PhD Programs has the ultimate responsibility for resolving any such disputes (whether scientific or non-scientific) and can institute changes to the thesis advisory committee membership to do so.
A. Responsibilities of a departing research mentor and newly assigned research mentor at Mount Sinai When a research mentor relocates to another institution, the mentee will need to realign their mentoring team, whether the mentee stays at ISMMS or relocates with the mentor while remaining enrolled at ISMMS. In all cases, the student must have a primary mentor who is a mentoring faculty of the GSBS. All formal mentors will be non-voting members of advisory committees. If a student’s new mentor was formerly a member of the student’s thesis advisory committee, that advisory role will need to be assumed by appointment of a new member who is a mentoring faculty of the GSBS.
The relocation of a research mentor presents three options for a new mentoring arrangement:
i) If the student has not yet passed their qualifying exam, they may opt to change their laboratory and begin their PhD with a new research mentor, project, and possibly multidisciplinary training area (MTA). This will require the same rotation, laboratory declaration, and mentor selection procedures that would be applicable to a new student. If the research mentor departs during the student’s first year, and the new mentor is willing to take the student as a mentee immediately, then this can occur with the new mentor assuming financial and training responsibilities for the student. If new rotations are required, the student will receive a 3-month window of support from the GSBS to pursue these rotations prior to selecting a new laboratory. The student and new Mentor must submit a new laboratory declaration form electronically to the Manager of PhD programs in Biomedical Sciences and Neuroscience to document any changes in the mentoring team.
ii) If the student is at least halfway through their training (3 years or longer in the program), and wishes to continue their research project in another laboratory with a new research mentor at ISMMS, the previous research mentor and student must identify the new mentor and agree to a collaboration to continue the work that was initiated in the original laboratory without further laboratory rotation. This may also require realignment of the thesis advisory committee, and possibly a change in the MTA. The new mentor assumes the role of primary mentor, and the departing mentor may (or may not) agree to remain as a secondary mentor so long as they hold an adjunct faculty position at ISMMS. This plan must be documented in writing as a transition plan submitted electronically via the GSBS Airtables, and agreed to by relevant MTA Director(s) and the Senior Associate Dean for PhD Programs. Academic requirements and student support services following this mentoring change will not be altered. The student must submit a new laboratory declaration form electronically to the Manager of PhD programs to document any changes in the mentoring team.
iii) Regardless of the stage of their studies, the student may opt to remain enrolled at ISMMS, and complete their experiments in the new laboratory of their existing research mentor at their new institution. In this case, the departing mentor must complete a transition plan form via the GSBS Airtables to indicate: 1) the names of all affected mentees; 2) a transition plan for relocating mentees, including a new primary mentor based at ISMMS, and a plan for financial support of the mentees. This plan must be completed in writing and agreed to by relevant MTA Director(s) and the Senior Associate Dean for PhD Programs. Academic requirements and student support services following this mentoring change will not be altered. The student must submit a new laboratory declaration form electronically to the Manager of PhD programs to document any changes in the mentoring team.
In cases where the student wishes to transfer to another program, they must withdraw from the relevant PhD program offered by the GSBS, and enroll at the new institution. International students should be aware that any changes to the locations of their activities may have implications for their visa/immigration status, and should check this with personnel at the new institution well in advance of any relocation.
B. Responsibilities of the mentee Any changes to the mentoring team due to relocation of the original research mentor do not change the responsibilities of the mentee, even if they are performing their experiments at another institution. Academic requirements and thesis advisory committee meeting requirements do not change. Policies regarding publication and use of data, protocols, or code generated during the PhD remain those of ISMMS, and the mentee’s affiliation as a student of the GSBS on publications and communications do not change. Finally, changes to the mentoring team do not change the maximum time for completion of a degree.
C. Responsibilities of the MTA director and thesis advisory committee regarding the research mentor(s) and mentee (including thesis proposal and thesis defense exams) If mentoring changes do not affect the MTA or thesis advisory committee, these entities continue to guide and assess the academic progress of the student. The absence of such changes will be documented on the transition plan.
If mentoring changes result in a change of MTA, this should be documented as part of the transition plan, and approved by the original and new MTA Director, as well as the Senior Associate Dean for PhD programs. Such changes may alter academic requirements of the new MTA, which must be clearly communicated to the student and included in the transition plan.
If changes are made to the thesis advisory committee, these must also be documented and approved by the (new) MTA.
The post-transition MTA and thesis advisory committee will oversee the thesis proposal and thesis defense exams of the mentee. These exams will be conducted under the same criteria, and to the same standards, as if no changes had occurred. In situations where the changes to the mentoring arrangements had a significant impact on the academic progress of the student, the student may apply for an extension to complete the qualifying exam, but the maximum time for completion of a degree does not change.